SCI FI Channel Ordered New Season Of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis

'STARGATES' CONTINUE TO SHINE BRIGHT ON SCI FI: 'SG-1' AND 'ATLANTIS' RENEWED
Released by Sci Fi

'STARGATES' CONTINUE TO SHINE BRIGHT ON SCI FI: 'SG-1' AND 'ATLANTIS' RENEWED

'Stargate SG-1' Enters Unprecedented 10th Season

The Longest-Running Sci-Fi Drama in US Television History

NEW YORK -- October 24, 2005 -- The 'Stargate' franchise continues to rule the television universe. SCI FI Channel has ordered new seasons of its hit original series, 'Stargate SG-1' and 'Stargate Atlantis.' Production on both 20-episode seasons is slated to begin in early 2006 for summer premieres on SCI FI.

Heading into an incredible tenth original season, 'Stargate SG-1' is now the longest-running sci-fi drama in American television history, outlasting 'The X-Files,' 'The Twilight Zone' and every iteration of 'Star Trek.' And the series is stronger than ever. The first half of 'SG-1's ninth season has averaged 2.4 million viewers per week.

'Stargate Atlantis,' cable television's first successful drama spin-off, has been renewed for its third original season. A pulse-pounding action adventure, 'Atlantis' took the original premise of 'Stargate' -- instantaneous travel to different worlds through an ancient portal -- and introduced a brand new team and sinister new enemies that pose a threat to humankind throughout the universe. A bona fide hit, the show has averaged over 2.3 million viewers a week for the first half of its sophomore season.

'SG-1' co-creator Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper will return as executive producers on both series.

'Stargate SG-1' is produced by Double Secret Productions, in association with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. and Sony Pictures Television. 'Stargate Atlantis' is produced by Acme Shark, in association with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. and Sony Pictures Television.

The one-two punch of the 'Stargates,' coupled with the critically-acclaimed 'Battlestar Galactica,' have made SCI FI Channel cable's #1 destination for young adults on Friday nights. New episodes of the entire 'SCI FI Friday' lineup will return to SCI FI in January 2006.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an independent, privately-held motion picture, television, home video, and theatrical production and distribution company. The company owns the world's largest modern film library, consisting of approximately 4,000 titles, and over 10,400 episodes of television programming. Its film library has received 208 Academy Awards(r), one of the largest award winning collections in the world, and includes numerous successful film franchises, including James Bond, Pink Panther and Rocky. MGM is owned by an investor consortium comprised of Providence Equity Partners, Texas Pacific Group, Sony Corporation of America, Comcast Corporation and DLJ Merchant Banking Partners. For more information, visit www.mgm.com.

Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry's leading content providers. SPT produces and distributes top-rated, award-winning programming in every genre, including series, movies and family entertainment for network and cable television; first-run syndicated series; off-network syndicated programs; and theatrical releases. SPT (www.sonypicturestelevision.com) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.

SCI FI Channel is a television network where "what if" is what's on. SCI FI fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site (www.scifi.com) and magazine. Launched in 1992, and currently in 85 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.